If you thought this being a holiday week—especially one in which it’s perfectly acceptable to go semi-comatose after eating your weight in mashed potatoes—would mean that San Diego is light on events, think again. Turkey trots and Thanksgiving–inspired suppers give way to concerts and sports, including a showdown between SDFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. Then, you can fuel up with leftovers for festive events like the San Diego Holiday Made Market, Holiday Lights in Downtown El Cajon, and the East Village Tree Lighting & Holiday Market.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Yo Ho Ho-liday Tavern at Margaritaville Hotel San Diego
Through January 2
Buccaneers and landlubbers alike can party pirate-style at the festive Yo Ho Ho-liday Tavern. Located inside LandShark Bar & Grill at Margaritaville San Diego, this seasonal pop-up features pirate-themed drinks, decorations, and food specials, such as Davy Jones’s Linguini, The Kraken Burger, and the Chai Old Fashioned. Guests can also enjoy holiday music Wednesday through Saturday (6–9 p.m.) and on weekend mornings (11 a.m.–2 p.m.), along with live pirate performances every Saturday in December (7–9 p.m.). The tavern will be open daily from 11 a.m. to close; entry is free and you can reserve a spot via OpenTable.
435 Sixth Avenue, Gaslamp
Sunday Supper: A Feast Beyond Thanksgiving at AVANT
November 30
If one Thanksgiving meal isn’t enough for you, then you are in luck, because AVANT Restaurant at the Rancho Bernardo Inn is offering a three-course meal filled with holiday staples and seasonal ingredients for its upcoming Sunday Supper. Sip butternut squash soup before chowing down on herb-roasted turkey with sides of mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, and cranberry sauce. For dessert, there’s pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream. Reservations are $45 plus tax per person, with seatings from 4 to 8 p.m.
17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, Rancho Bernardo
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
LaRussell at Music Box
November 29
Vallejo-born rapper LaRussell has gained a massive independent following by being not only prolific—with over 40 projects to his name—but personable, hosting backyard shows and offering a sliding-scale ticket model. His upcoming concert at Music Box will begin with a vinyl DJ set. LaRusell will be accompanied by a live band and a choir. Tickets start at $82 for Saturday’s concert at 4 p.m.
1337 India Street, Little Italy
Danny Brown at The Observatory North Park
November 29
Known as a confessional rapper, Danny Brown pivots to 100 gecs–inspired hyperpop on his latest album Stardust. Brown’s performance this Saturday at The Observatory North Park (7 p.m.) will feature opening sets from Stardust collaborators Femtanyl and Underscores, artists who specialize in EDM’s most experimental subgenres. Tickets are $45 for this concert
2891 University Avenue, North Park
John Coltrane’s Blue Train at Jacobs Music Center
November 29
Local trumpeter extraordinaire Gilbert Castellanos has assembled a band of acclaimed jazz musicians to perform John Coltrane’s Blue Train live this Saturday at Jacobs Music Center. The concert will begin with a performance from Young Lions Jazz Conservatory (6:30 p.m.) before the night’s all-star ensemble dives into Coltrane’s sophomore album, his only project as a session bandleader for Blue Note Records, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s show will be the first of four concerts in the 2025–26 Jazz @ The Jacobs series. Tickets range from $42 to $96 for this concert.
1245 Seventh Avenue, Downtown
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show at The Old Globe
Through December 28
Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s musical take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has become a Christmas tradition at The Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, with a story that provides extra laughs for locals thanks to its San Diego setting. Tickets for Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show start at $48, with performances every night this week except Thursday and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday.
1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
A Christmas Carol at the Cygnet Theatre
November 26–December 28
For a more traditional adaptation of A Christmas Carol, check out Cygnet Theatre’s production, beginning this Wednesday. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Cygnet’s annual retelling of the classic story, and audiences can expect a twist inspired by the theater company’s new digs in Liberty Station. There will be low-priced previews for A Christmas Carol this Wednesday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. before its opening night Saturday at 7 p.m.; tickets range from $44 to $73 for previews and from $54 to $83 for opening night and all successive shows.
2880 Roosevelt Road, Liberty Station
Clara & the Nutcracker Soldier at Joan B. Kroc Theatre
November 28–29
Local youth dance company BalletCenter Studios’ upcoming show Clara & the Nutcracker Soldier pays homage to The Nutcracker with a new perspective on Tchaikovsky’s masterwork. In this all-ages adaption, the occupants of Clara’s boarding school, such as the nursemaids and the villainous headmistress, play roles in her sweet-filled fantasy. Tickets for performances of Clara & the Nutcracker Soldier Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. range from $32 to $63.
6611 University Avenue, Rolando
San Dieguito Art Guild’s 2025 Holiday Bazaar
November 29
Support North County’s fine arts community at the San Dieguito Art Guild (SDAG)’s free 13th annual Holiday Bazaar. This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Encinitas Community Center, attendees can enjoy treats; bid on silent auction items donated by SDAG members; and peruse and purchase unique pieces from 30 local artists, along with clients from TERI’s arts programs for special needs adults. The artwork on display and for sale will include jewelry, paintings, mosaics, gourds, journals, photography, and much more.
1140 Oakcrest Park Drive, Encinitas
Passion and Purpose at The San Diego Watercolor Society
November 30–December 27
For its December exhibition, juried by local illustrator Lori Mitchell, The San Diego Watercolor Society has invited its members to submit watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media artwork that aligns with the theme of Passion and Purpose. The exhibition will feature more than 95 watercolor paintings. Its free opening reception, with complimentary refreshments, takes place Friday, Dec. 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. Gallery visitors can check out Passion and Purpose for free online or in-person Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Dec. 27.
2825 Dewey Road, Liberty Station
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Rady Children’s Invitational
November 26–28
For its third annual men’s basketball tourney, the Rady Children’s Invitational has shifted south to its new home at University of San Diego’s Jenny Craig Pavilion. This year’s four-team bracket features the Wisconsin Badgers, TCU Horned Frogs, Providence Friars, and the reigning national champion Florida Gators. The hardwood hoops will tip off Thanksgiving Day when Florida takes on TCU at noon and Wisconsin faces Providence at 2:30 p.m, followed by the third-place (noon) and championship (2:30 p.m.) games Friday afternoon. Ticket options include single-day ($73+) and two-day ($109+) passes and admission to Wednesday’s tipoff party from 6 to 8 p.m. ($80).
5998 Alcala Park Way, Linda Vista
Turkey Trots
November 27
Before the TV starts streaming football and the bird goes in the oven, work up an appetite with a Thanksgiving turkey trot. Up the coast, the O’Side Turkey Trot offers a pair of 5Ks, a costume contest, and live entertainment along the course; registration is $60 for one 5K and $77 for the double dippers. On Coronado Island at 8 a.m., 5K racers will take off from Tidelands Park to raise money for Rady Children’s Hospital; registration is $81 for the 5K and free for the kids’ fun run. Last but not least, Father Joe’s Villages will host its 24th annual fun run with morning mass, a 5K, and a post-race festival, with proceeds benefiting the homeless; registration ranges from $56 to $67.
330 North Coast Highway, Oceanside | 2000 Mullinex Drive, Coronado | 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park
WWE Survivor Series: WarGames at Petco Park
November 29
Local wrestling fans are in for an action-packed evening in the ring this Saturday at Petco Park with WWE’s 39th annual Survivor Series. The mayhem will begin at 3:30 p.m. with WarGames, team matches where the biggest men’s and women’s wrestlers from Raw and Smackdown—including Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch, CM Punk, and Nia Jax—will throw down in two side-by-side rings surrounded by a steel cage. Plus, there will be title matches between Stephanie Vaquer and Nikki Bella (Women’s World Championship) and John Cena and Dominik Mysterio (Intercontinental Championship). Tickets start at $119.
100 Park Boulevard, Downtown
San Diego FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Snapdragon Stadium
November 29
Seventy-one minutes into Monday’s match against Minnesota United FC, it looked as if the hourglass was about to run out on San Diego FC’s magical season. But then, as he’d already done 22 times this year, Anders Dreyer found the back of the net—this time courtesy of a spectacular heel flick from Corey Baird. Now the only other team left standing in the West is SDFC’s biggest regular season adversary, the Vancouver Whitecaps. The winners of Saturday’s Western Conference Final (6 p.m.) will clinch their first-ever championship appearance. Tickets start at $156 for this match.
2101 Stadium Way, Mission Valley
San Diego Holiday Made Market
November 29–30
Due to inclement weather, the San Diego Holiday Made Market was pushed back two weeks from its original planned date, so this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at NTC Park, attendees can shop handmade items from over 120 unique local vendors; explore interactive art installations; and enjoy live music, craft workshops, lawn games, and gourmet food trucks and bars. General admission is $5 and $10 with a canvas shopping bag. Kids ages 10 and under will receive free entry.
2455 Cushing Road, Point Loma
PARTNER CONTENT
Christmas Tree Lightings and Holiday Markets
November 29–30
Watch Christmas trees sparkle, explore local vendors, and revel in the holiday spirit at a pair of free, community events this weekend. This Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m., Holiday Lights in Downtown El Cajon will fill Prescott Promenade with musical performances, trackless train rides, and snow bubble machines before Mayor Bill Wells leads the tree-lighting ceremony at 6:15 p.m. Then on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m., the East Village Tree Lighting & Holiday Market brings live entertainment, photos with Santa Claus, family-friendly activities, and another tree-lighting ceremony (6:45 p.m.) at Fault Line Park.
200 East Main Street, El Cajon | Island Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets, East Village
